Helmut Lang (artist)

Last updated

Helmut Lang
Helmut Lang self portrait 2007.jpg
Lang in 2007
Born
Helmut Lang

(1956-03-10) 10 March 1956 (age 69)
Known for
  • Fashion
  • architecture
  • sculpture
AwardsÖsterreichischen Ehrenzeichens für Wissenschaft und Kunst, 2009
Helmut Lang Helmut Lang, 2008.tiff
Helmut Lang

Helmut Lang (born 10 March 1956) is an Austrian artist and former fashion designer and mentor who lives and works in New York and on Long Island.

Contents

Career

In 1986, Lang showed his first Helmut Lang runway collection in Paris at Centre Georges Pompidou. His first Helmut men's collection debuted in 1987 and a decade later he moved his label from Vienna to New York. [1] [2]

Lang used unconventional materials such as rubber, feathers and metallic fabrics and redefined the silhouette of the 1990s and early 2000s. He broke away from the runway show-as-spectacle in the height of the 1980s opulence and was the first to stream his collection online in 1998. [3]

Lang's brand was known for its utilitarian, minimalist aesthetic, [4] as well as for his prestige range of denim. [5]

In 1999, Lang sold a 51% stake in his company to the Prada Group, with Prada running distribution and manufacturing and Lang controlling design and advertising. Afterwards, Prada developed a line of Helmut Lang accessories such as shoes, belts and bags, and opened Helmut Lang stores in Hong Kong and Singapore. [1] Sales under the Prada Group fell from $100 million in 1999 to $37 million in 2003. The brand's decision to cancel the licensing for an external company to manufacture and market its profitable range of Helmut Lang Jeans was cited as one of the reasons for its loss in revenue. [6] In 2005 he left his label and retired from fashion. He has since been based in New York City and on Long Island as a practicing artist. [5] In 2006, Prada sold the Helmut Lang brand to Link Theory Holdings. [4]

Lang has collaborated with artists Jenny Holzer and Louise Bourgeois. His recent works explore abstract sculptural forms and physical arrangements beyond the limitations of the human body. Lang had his first solo art exhibition ALLES GLEICH SCHWER at the Kestnergesellschaft in Hannover in 2008 and has since presented solo exhibitions internationally. [7] Lang has published excerpts from his ongoing art projects Long Island Diaries and The Selective Memory Series in a number of publications, such as Purple, BUTT Magazine , Fanzine 137 , Visionaire and most recently The Travel Almanac .

Work

Surrogate Skin (2008), as displayed in the exhibition HELMUT LANG, ALLES GLEICH SCHWER at the kestnergesellschaft in Hanover, Germany, 2008 Helmut Lang, Surrogate Skin, 2008.jpg
Surrogate Skin (2008), as displayed in the exhibition HELMUT LANG, ALLES GLEICH SCHWER at the kestnergesellschaft in Hanover, Germany, 2008

This timeline outlines Helmut Lang's work in fashion and art up until 2021.

Solo Exhibitions

1986Viennese Modernism. Centre National d'Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou, Paris [8]
2007Selective Memory Series, Purple Institute, Paris [9] [10]
2007Next Ever After, The Journal Gallery, Brooklyn [11]
2008Archive, 032c Museum Store, Berlin [12]
2008Alles Gleich Schwer, kestnergesellschaft, Hanover [13]
2011Make It Hard, The Fireplace Project, East Hampton [14]
2012Sculptures, Mark Fletcher, New York [15]
2015Helmut Lang, Sperone Westwater, New York [16]
2016BURRY, Dallas Contemporary, Dallas
2017new work, Sperone Westwater, New York [17]
2017Various Conditions, Stradtraum, Vienna [18]
2017Various Conditions, Sammlung Friedrichshof, Zurndorf [19]
2019network, Tennis Elbow at The Journal Gallery, New York [20]
201963, von ammon co, Washington, D.C. [21]
202041.1595° N, 73.3882° W, MoCA Westport, Westport [22]
2025What remains behind, MAK Center at the Schindler House, West Hollywood, CA [23]

Group Exhibitions

1997I Smell You on My Clothes, Florence Biennale, Florence [24]
1997Art/Fashion, Guggenheim Museum SoHo, New York [25]
1998 Louise Bourgeois / Jenny Holzer / Helmut Lang, Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna [26]
2009Industrial Light Magic, Goethe-Institut, New York [27]
2010Not in Fashion, Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt [28]
2011Austria Davaj!, Shchusev Museum of Architecture, Moscow [29]
2011Commercial Break, Venice Biennale, Venice [30]
2012Helmut Lang / Banks Violette / Dan Colen, Mark Fletcher, New York [31]
2013The System of Objects, Deste Foundation, Athens [32]
2015Space and Matter, Sperone Westwater, New York [33]
2018Wormwood, Ellis King, Dublin [34]
2019SMILE, Halsey McKay, East Hampton [35]
2020100 Sculptures, no gallery, Los Angeles [36]
2020FOCUS GROUP II, von ammon co, Washington, D.C. [37]
2020everything not saved will be lost, FF Projects, San Pedro Garza García [38]
2021WOOD WORKS: Raw, Cut, Carved, Covered, Sperone Westwater, New York [39]
2021ALIEN NATION, von ammon co, Washington, D.C. [40]
2021Punk Is Coming, MoCA Westport [41]
2021HOW DOES ONE THINK OF NOTHING?, FF projects, San Pedro [42]
2022FOCUS GROUP 3, von ammon co, Washington, D.C. [43]
2023FOCUS GROUP 4, von ammon co, Washington, D.C. [44]

Helmut Lang fashion 1977–2005

This timeline outlines the developments in Lang's fashion as well significant attributes of key collections.

1977

1980–84

1986

1987

1988

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Arbor (2008), as displayed in the exhibition HELMUT LANG, ALLES GLEICH SCHWER at the kestnergesellschaft in Hanover, Germany, 2008 Helmut Lang, Arbor, 2008.jpg
Arbor (2008), as displayed in the exhibition HELMUT LANG, ALLES GLEICH SCHWER at the kestnergesellschaft in Hanover, Germany, 2008
Front Row (2009), sculpture commissioned by the Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art, Athens HL front row.jpg
Front Row (2009), sculpture commissioned by the Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art, Athens
MAKE IT HARD (2011), as displayed at The Fireplace Project in East Hampton, 2011 Helmut Lang, MAKE IT HARD, 2011, Resin, pigment and mixed media.jpg
MAKE IT HARD (2011), as displayed at The Fireplace Project in East Hampton, 2011
MAKE IT HARD (2011), as displayed at The Fireplace Project in East Hampton, 2011 Helmut Lang, MAKE IT HARD, 2011, Resin, pigment and mixed media. 2.jpg
MAKE IT HARD (2011), as displayed at The Fireplace Project in East Hampton, 2011

Collections

Helmut Lang's works are part of the following collections:

Architecture projects

Original Helmut Lang stores (until 2005)

All of the original Helmut Lang stores have been closed. The last one to close was the Paris location in late 2005. Most of the art-inspired stores had been designed by Lang in collaboration with Gluckman Mayner Architects of New York.

1995

1997

2000

2002

2003

Fragrance Projects

Four different scents were created by Lang in cooperation with Procter & Gamble, all of which were discontinued with the 2005 closing of the brand.

Awards

Bibliography

Key interviews

References

  1. 1 2 Seabrook, John (18 September 2000). "The Invisible Designer: Helmut Lang". New Yorker. Archived from the original on 14 November 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  2. "Brussels Louise – Festivités dans la Capitale européenne".
  3. Bain, Marc. "How Helmut Lang Changed Fashion". The Atlantic. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  4. 1 2 Craven, Jo. "Helmut Lang". Vogue UK. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  5. 1 2 Schneier, Matthew (9 September 2017). "Helmut Lang Returns! Or Does He?". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  6. Wilson, Eric (26 May 2005). "Decline and Fall of Helmut Lang". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 March 2008. Retrieved 12 March 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. Zahm, Olivier Langfroid, Artforum International, October 1995.
  9. Article title [ permanent dead link ]
  10. Purple Fashion Archived 11 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine , Purple Institute, 2007.
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  12. Article title [ permanent dead link ]
  13. "kestnergesellschaft". Archived from the original on 12 February 2009. Retrieved 12 December 2008.
  14. "Home". thefireplaceproject.com.
  15. "Sculptures, Mark Fletcher" . Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  16. "Helmut Lang, Sperone Westwater" . Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  17. "new work, Sperone Westwater" . Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  18. "Various Conditions, Stadtraum". 14 March 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  19. "Various Conditions, Sammlung Friedrichshof". 14 March 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  20. "network, The Journal Gallery" . Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  21. "63, von ammon co" . Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  22. "41.1595° N, 73.3882° W, MoCA Westport" . Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  23. "Helmut Lang: What remains behind". MAK Center for Art and Architecture. 19 February 2025. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
  24. Seabrook, John "The Invincible Designer" Archived 12 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine , The New Yorker, 18 September 2000.
  25. "Art/Fashion, Guggenheim Museum" . Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  26. "Louise Bourgeois / Jenny Holzer / Helmut Lang, Kunsthalle Wien" . Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  27. "Industrial Light Magic, Goethe-Institut" . Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  28. "Not in Fashion, Museum für Moderne Kunst" . Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  29. "Austria Davaj!, Shchusev Museum of Architecture" . Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  30. "Commercial Break, Venice Biennale" . Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  31. "Helmut Lang / Banks Violette / Dan Colen, Mark Fletcher" . Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  32. "The System of Objects, Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art" . Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  33. "Space and Matter, Sperone Westwater" . Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  34. "Sutton, Kate. "SMILE," Artforum". 27 July 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  35. "SMILE, Halsey McKay" . Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  36. "100 Sculptures, no gallery" . Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  37. "FOCUS GROUP II, von ammon co" . Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  38. "everything not saved will be lost, FF projects" . Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  39. "WOOD WORKS: Raw, Cut, Carved, Covered, Sperone Westwater" . Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  40. "ALIEN NATION, von ammon co" . Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  41. "Punk Is Coming, MoCA Westport" . Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  42. "HOW DOES ONE THINK OF NOTHING?, FF projects" . Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  43. "FOCUS GROUP 3, von ammon co" . Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  44. "FOCUS GROUP 4, von ammon co" . Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  45. Boyd, Davis. "Helmut Lang" Fashion Windows Archived 5 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine . 2 March 2001
  46. Cressole, Michel. “Une Lancinante Variation en Jersey Zippé" (Review: Helmut Lang A/W 86–87 Collection). Liberation. 1986
  47. Menkes, Suzy. “The Avant-Garde’s Offensive”. International Herald Tribune. 18 Oct.
  48. Menkes, Suzy. “The Avant-Garde Plunges Back To The Middle Ages”. International Herald Tribune. 16 March 1993
  49. Spindler, Amy M. “Lang Points The Way to a New Elegance”. The New York Times. 7 March 1994
  50. Spindler, Amy M. “In Paris, The Outsiders Are Officially In”. The New York Times. 16 Oct
  51. Spindler, Amy M. “Another Sure Step at Helmut Lang”. The New York Times. 15 March 1996
  52. Middleton, Sharon. “Jeans: The Lang View”. Women’s Wear Daily. 14 November 1996
  53. Spindler, Amy M. “The Wild, The Seductive, The Hip”. The New York Times. 12 October 2006.
  54. Prigent, Loic. “Ailes d’Ange et Bottines Rouge Sang” Liberation. 17 Mar
  55. “Helmut’s Angel”. Women’s Wear Daily. 17 March 2007.
  56. Contemporary fashion Archive, "project: helmut lang flagship store new york with installation by jenny holzer" Archived 27 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine 1 January 1997
  57. Foley, Bridget. “The Line From Lang”. Women’s Wear Daily. 17 July 1998
  58. White, Constance C.R. “No Crush: The CD-ROM Runway”. The New York Times. 1 April 1998
  59. Foley, Bridget. “Lang Sets Early Date For His New York Show”. Women’s Wear Daily. 7 July 1998.
  60. Menkes, Suzy. “Fast-Forward American Designers Show Their Colors”. International Herald Tribune. 22 September 1998.
  61. Menkes, Suzy. “European Designers Score on Creativity in New York:”. International Herald Tribune. 21 September 1999
  62. Borgonovo, Carmen. “Lang’s New Angle.” Women’s Wear Daily. 13 September 1999
  63. Armstrong, Lisa. “Enter Millennium Woman”. The Times. 22 December 2000.
  64. Menkes, Suzy. “Bondage to Graphics: Sex in The City”. International Herald Tribune 23 September 2000.
  65. Menkes, Suzy. “Body Language, Laud and Clear”. International Herald Tribune. 20 February 2001
  66. Deeny, Godfrey. “Helmut Lang to Stage Men’s Collection in Paris”. Fashion Wire Daily. 28 May 2002.
  67. Mouzat, Virgine. “Emanuel Ungaro, Le Sud, Helmut Lang, Le Retour, Le Figaro. 5 October 2002.
  68. Contemporary Fashion Archive Archived 27 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine 4 October 2002
  69. Menkes, Suzy. “Lang Solves The Puzzle”. International Herald Tribune, 8 March], 2003.
  70. 1 2 Contemporary Fashion Archive "fashion product: t-shirt and cd. collaboration louise bourgeois/helmut lang" Archived 27 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine 1 January 2003
  71. Deeny, Godfrey.”Helmut Lang Goes Into Action”. Fashion Wire Daily, 27 January 2003
  72. Frankel, Susannah. “ New-Look Lang Embraces a Rainbow of Colors”. The Independent, 10 October. 2003
  73. Menkes, Suzy. “Helmut Lang and His Search For Modern Romance”. International Herald Tribune, 5 March 2004.
  74. Menkes, Suzy, “Lang: Luxury With a Glint”. International Herald Tribune, 27 January 2004.
  75. Contemporary Fashion Archive "fashion product: janus in leather jacket. collaboration louise bourgeois/helmut lang" Archived 27 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine 1 March 2004
  76. Menkes, Suzy. “Upscale Architecture at Saint Laurent; Dior Revived Grunge”. International Herald Tribune, 6 July 2004.
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  79. Contemporary Fashion Archive Archived 28 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine .
  80. Fashion Windows "Helmut Lang" Archived 5 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine .
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  82. Contemporary Fashion Archive Archived 28 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine .
  83. 1 2 Alfano, Jennifer. "Inner Sanctum". V Man September 2004
  84. Contemporary Fashion Archive Archived 28 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine .
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  87. "Armstrong, Annie. "'There is No Plan B': Helmut Lang on Turning His Fashion Archive into Sculpture." artnews.com (ARTnews). 19 September 2019". 19 September 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  88. Belcove, Julie L. (6 January 2015). "Belcove, Julie L. "From Fashion to Art: Helmut Lang's Second Act." wsj.com (WSJ.). 6 January 2015". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  89. "Borrelli-Persson, Laird. "'No Regrets.' Helmut Lang Speaks About His 'Living Archive' Intervention at the MAK in Vienna and His Work in Fashion." vogue.com (Vogue). 26 February 2020". 26 February 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
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  91. "Gavin, Francesca. "A Rare Interview with Helmut Lang." anothermag.com (AnOther Magazine). 20 September 2019". 20 September 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  92. McGrath, Charles (May 2012). "McGrath, Charles. "A Seamless Transition From Fashion to Art." The New York Times. 1 May 2012". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  93. "Thompson, Allese. "500 Words: Helmut Lang." artforum.com (Artforum). 16 January 2015". 16 January 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2021.